SARS-CoV S蛋白表位的表达及鉴定

目的:制备SARS冠状病毒S蛋白串联表位重组蛋白,为SARS的防治提供新型抗原蛋白。方法:应用抗原表位分析软件分析S蛋白的表位。选取其中16个表位,设计并合成表位串联重组蛋白编码基因Z,构建其原核细胞表达重组体,在大肠杆菌BL21(DE3)表达该重组表位蛋白Z,应用Ni离子亲合层析法纯化重组蛋白Z做抗原,采用皮下注射法免疫新西兰白兔。斑点杂交法测定抗Z-血清中S蛋白的抗体,ELISA法检测Z蛋白的抗原性。结果:构建了S蛋白重组表位蛋白Z的原核表达体,在BL21菌中表达了Z蛋白,Z蛋白免疫新西兰白兔后获得了抗Z血清。斑点杂交分析显示,抗Z血清识别哺乳动物细胞中表达的S蛋白。ELISA检测结果显示,抗Z血清识别SARS冠状病毒抗原。结论:建立了制备SARS冠状病毒S蛋白重组表位蛋白的方法,为防治SARS提供了新型抗原蛋白Z。     

O型口蹄疫病毒VP1表位重组蛋白疫苗的构建、表达和纯化

目的 为了克服灭活口蹄疫病毒疫苗可能存在的传播病毒的潜在危险,构建一种能预防O型口蹄疫病毒感染的VPI表位重组蛋白疫苗。方法采用O型口蹄疫病毒（FMDV）表面VP1蛋白上的B细胞表位肽和T细胞表位肽,以PCR扩增和克隆连接等方法构建VP1表位六聚体重组蛋白（vP1epi）基因,并在大肠杆菌中进行诱导表达,镍亲和层析纯化。用ELISA法检测VPlepi免疫豚鼠血清中抗FMDV抗体的水平。结果构建了一种由FMDV表面vP1中B细胞表位肽重复六次的蛋白质多肽,采用pET28原核表达系统,在大肠杆菌BL21（DE3）中获得了高效表达,表达产量约占菌体蛋白的30％左右,经镍亲和层析后获得纯度高于90％的VP1表位重组蛋白。VP1epi免疫的豚鼠血清中含有一定量的抗FMDV抗体。结论VP1epi重组蛋白能诱导机体产生抗O型FMDV的抗体,说明这种重组蛋白可能成为预防O型FMDV感染的基因工程蛋白质疫苗。     

SARS-Cov膜结合蛋白抗原表位的预测和多表位嵌合体的原核表达

SARS Cov是引起非典型性肺炎的病原体。S和M蛋白都是SARS冠状病毒主要的膜结构蛋白。研究显示 ,冠状病毒感染细胞过程中 ,病毒表面膜结合蛋白起决定性作用。通过网络数据库结合生物软件分析的方法预测可能在SARS Cov感染过程中起重要作用并具较好抗原性参数的膜结合蛋白结构区域作为抗原表位。构建多表位串联基因片段 ,接入载体pET 32a后验证表明 ,该多表位串联基因可以在原核细胞内高效表达 ,从而为基于表位的SARS Cov疫苗的进一步研制奠定了基础     

EB病毒潜伏膜蛋白2多表位的原核表达及其抗原特性分析

目的 对EB病毒(EBV)潜伏膜蛋白2(LMP2)中富含T、B细胞多表位肽段基因进行原核表达,并分析该多表位蛋白的抗原特性.方法 利用计算机在线软件预测EBV LMP2蛋白的CTL表位、Th表位.选取富含CTL表位和Th表位的肽段,兼顾其上下游已预测的B细胞表位,组成含多个T、B细胞表位的EBV LMP2多表位,该多表位基因序列经原核密码子优化后全序列合成,并克隆入原核表达载体pET32a(+)得到pET32a(+)/EBV-LMP2多表位重组质粒,经IPTG诱导在E.coli BL21(DE3)表达并纯化,经SDS-PAGE和Western blot分析鉴定;采用EBV膜蛋白家兔免疫血清和鼻咽癌患者血清进行Western blot分析其抗原特性;并利用EBV-LMP2多表位蛋白免疫BALB/c小鼠,分别采用LDH和ELISA方法检测小鼠脾细胞特异性CTL杀伤效应及血清特异性抗体IgG水平,以分析该表位蛋白的免疫原性.结果 LMP2(aa195-232)和LMP2(aa419-436)肽段富含CTL、Th和B细胞表位,将其串联后作为EBV LMP2多表位,该多表位基因在大肠杆菌中获得了表达.表达产物的相对分子质量(Mr)约27×103,与预期Mr相符;经Western blot证实EBV-LMP2多表位具有抗原特异性,可被EBV膜蛋白家兔免疫血清和鼻咽癌患者血清特异性抗体识别;小鼠免疫结果显示EBVLMP2多表位可诱导机体产生特异性的CTL杀伤效应,随着效靶比(1:5,1:10,1:25)增加,CTL杀伤活性逐渐增强(12.52%±2.59%,21.80%±1.08%,23.68%±3.74%),同时产生了特异性血清IgG抗体反应(A490=0.258±0.040),与对照组比较差异均具有统计学意义(P＜0.05).结论 本研究没计的EBV-LMP2多表位具有良好的抗原性和一定的免疫原性.     

HCV多表位抗原融合肽的表达与抗原性的研究

目的观察HCV复合多表位抗原融合肽的抗原性,探讨利用这种抗原融合肽制备的抗体在丙型肝炎抗原检测方面的潜在可行性。方法将人工合成的HCV复合多表位抗原基因B2克隆到表达载体pThioHis A中,并在大肠杆菌中表达融合蛋白(Trx-B2),纯化该蛋白后免疫小鼠及家兔,分析表达产物的免疫特异性及抗原性。结果融合蛋白(Trx-B2)能在原核表达系统中高效表达,并可诱发小鼠及家兔产生高滴度的特异性HCV抗体。结论偶联了融合蛋白的HCV复合多表位抗原具有良好的抗原性,其免疫实验动物后产生的抗体有望用于HCV的抗原检测。     

SARS病毒基因组所编码的E蛋白的二级结构和B细胞表位预测

目的：预测SARS病毒E蛋白的B细胞表位和二级结构。方法：以SARS病毒基因组序列为基础，采用Garnier-Robson方法、Chou-Fasman方法和Karplus-Schuhz方法预测E蛋白质的二级结构；用Kyte-Doohttle方案预测蛋白质的亲水性；用Emini方案预测蛋白质的表面可能性；用Jameson-Wolf方案预测氨基酸的抗原性指数。综合评判，预测SAPS病毒E蛋白的B细胞表位。结果：在SARS病毒E蛋白N-端的第1～6、13～19、39～43、47～64区段和第73～76区段有β-折叠中心；第6～12区段和第67～69区段可能形成转角或无规则卷曲，是柔性区域。E蛋白N端第2～13区段和第61～74区段为B细胞优势表位区域。结论：用多参数预测SARS病毒E蛋白的二级结构和B细胞表位，为实验方法探索SARS冠状病毒E蛋白的B细胞表位提供理论依据。     

应用合成的SARS病毒S蛋白重叠肽筛选B细胞表位

目的筛选SARS病毒S蛋白的B细胞表位。方法使用SARS-CoV S DNA疫苗免疫BALB／c小鼠，获得SARS病毒S蛋白的免疫血清。人工合成包含169条部分氨基酸序列重叠的SARS-CoV S蛋白的多肽库。将多肽片段包被ELISA板，利用免疫小鼠血清，通过抗体结合试验来筛选SARS病毒S蛋白的线性B细胞表位。并将筛选结果与使用B细胞表位分析软件预测的结果进行比较。结果使用重叠肽合成法筛选到SARS．CoV蛋白两条多肽片段S335—352和S442—458．能与免疫动物血清特异性结合，与使用Bcipep数据库预测B细胞表位的结果相一致。结论鉴定了两个新的SARS病毒S蛋白B细胞表位。     

应用免疫信息学技术预测严重急性呼吸综合征冠状病毒2(SARS-CoV-2)的抗原表位

目的运用免疫信息学技术预测严重急性呼吸综合征冠状病毒2(SARS-CoV-2)的B细胞、细胞毒性T淋巴细胞(CTL)和辅助T(Th)细胞的抗原表位。方法从NCBI数据库检索SARS-CoV-2蛋白序列,根据抗原性≥0.5和氨基酸数≥100进行筛选,最终的蛋白序列用于后续的抗原肽的预测。用蛋白质结构预测软件Phyre2进行三维结构的预测、蛋白质模型结构的细化软件GalaxyRefine优化蛋白的三维结构,最后用蛋白质结构同源建模SWISS-MODEL系统对优化后的结构进行准确性评估。蛋白序列用于CTL、Th细胞和线性B细胞抗原肽预测,三维结构用于结构性B细胞抗原预测。免疫表位数据库和分析资源(IEDB)预测SARS-CoV-2的CTL和Th细胞抗原表位,B细胞线性抗原肽预测软件Bepipred Linear Epitope Prediction 2.0和B细胞结构抗原肽预测软件ElliPro-Epitope prediction based upon structural protrusion分别预测B细胞线性和结构抗原肽。结果从NCBI数据库获得了27个SARS-CoV-2的蛋白序列,去掉抗原性0.5和氨基酸数100的蛋白质后,最终选定9个蛋白进行后续抗原肽预测。最终获得了24个CTL、20个Th细胞、12个B细胞线性表位和16个B细胞结构表位。结论获得的抗原表位可用于后续多表位疫苗的设计,相较于只针对单种蛋白靶点的抗原表位而言,多靶点抗原表位具有更强的免疫原性,这些抗原表位对SARS-CoV-2疫苗而言,具有一定的参考价值。     

幽门螺杆菌黏附素A有效T和B联合抗原表位噬菌体展示和抗原性测定

目的 分析并确定幽门螺杆菌黏附素A(HpaA)分子中有效T细胞和B细胞联合(T/B)抗原表位.方法 重组表达HpaA(rHpaA)并免疫家兔制备抗血清.采用生物信息学技术预测和分析HpaA分子中T细胞和B细胞表位,PCB扩增T/B联合表位肽片段并构建其噬菌体展示系统.采用PEG/NaCl沉淀法提纯展示了T/B联合表位的重组噬菌体PⅢ蛋白(rPⅢ).分别以商品化幽门螺杆菌全菌IgG抗体和rHpaA抗血清为一抗,采用Western blot和ELISA对rPⅢ蛋白中展示的T/B联合表位进行筛选和鉴定.采用MTT检测rHpaA免疫小鼠脾细胞在不同重组噬菌体蛋白刺激下的增殖情况.结果 HpaA分子中共有5个T/B联合表位:HpaA10、HpaA37、HpaA79、HpaA116和HpaA143.所有T/B联合表位均成功地展示于M13噬菌体PⅢ蛋白表面.Western blot、ELISA和淋巴细胞增殖试验结果 均显示,HpaA116是优势抗原表位,HpaA37和HpaA79为有效抗原表位,HpaA10和HpaA143为无效抗原表位.结论 本研究成功地构建了幽门螺杆菌HpaA的T/B联合表位肽噬菌体展示系统.HpaA37和HpaA79,尤其是HpaA116是HpaA有效T/B联合抗原表位.     

严重急性呼吸综合征冠状病毒2(SARS-CoV-2)刺突蛋白的B细胞及T细胞抗原表位的生物信息学分析

目的 使用生物信息学方法预测严重急性呼吸综合征冠状病毒2(SARS-CoV-2)刺突蛋白(S蛋白)的结构特点，并预测可能的B细胞和T细胞表位。方法 从NCBI数据库中获取SARS-CoV-2的S蛋白氨基酸序列，通过蛋白质基本性质分析工具ProtParam分析S蛋白的理化性质；利用综合性序列工具软件Lasergene和蛋白质二级结构分析软件SOMPA分析S蛋白二级结构；蛋白质同源物/类似物Y识别引擎Phyre2和分子图像观察软件Rasmol构建并分析S蛋白三级结构；B细胞表位预测工具ABCpred、 BepiPred和BcePred预测S蛋白的B细胞抗原表位；利用免疫表位数据库IEDB预测S蛋白的T细胞抗原表位。结果S蛋白由1273个氨基酸组成，理论等电点为6.24,原子组成为C₆₃₃₆H₉₇₇₀N₁₆₅₆O₁₈₉₄S₅₄,属于稳定亲水性蛋白。Lasergene软件的Gramier-Robson方法预测显示：α螺旋占23.5%、 β折叠占53.7%、转角区域占14.9%、无规则卷...     

SARS冠状病毒棘突蛋白的S1蛋白诱导小鼠产生中和抗体的研究

目的 研究SARS冠状病毒棘突蛋白受体结合部位S1的免疫原性，为SARS的实验诊断和新型疫苗的研究提供依据。方法 用克隆有哺乳动物细胞密码子优化的SARS-CoV S1基因的质粒pcDNA3．1／S1或P-S1Ig转染293T细胞，用细胞的上清液纯化S1蛋白。以pcDNA3．1／S1质粒对BALB／c小鼠进行2次基因免疫，以纯化的S1蛋白进行加强免疫。用ELISA法检测小鼠抗SARS-CoV的特异性IgG抗体，并在Vero E6细胞上做体外中和实验，检测中和抗体。结果 S1蛋白诱导小鼠产生抗SARS-CoV的特异性抗体；1：1499．68稀释的S1蛋白免疫的小鼠血清可保护50％的细胞对1000TCID50的病毒攻击，而阴性对照血清不能保护细胞对病毒的感染。结论 SAPS冠状病毒棘突蛋白受体结合部位S1能有效诱导机体产生具有高效保护作用的中和抗体免疫反应，可望发展成为理想的SARS棘突蛋白亚单位疫苗。     

SARS病毒N蛋白的表达与DNA疫苗的构建

目的：在大肠杆菌中表达SARS冠状病毒核衣壳N蛋白，并构建其DNA疫苗。方法：构建含N基因的原核表达载体pQEN，并在大肠杆菌M15中表达N蛋白。采用NP亲和层析法纯化目的蛋白。将N基因克隆入真核表达载体pSecTagB中，构建真核重组质粒pSecN。以其免疫小鼠制备抗血清，并用ELISA法检测其与大肠杆菌中表达的重组N蛋白及天然全病毒N蛋白的反应性。结果：重组N蛋白能与DNA疫苗免疫的小鼠血清以及SARS患者血清发生特异性反应；SARS—CoV病毒颗粒也可与DNA疫苗免疫的小鼠血清发生特异性反应。结论：重组N蛋白保留了病毒的一些特异性抗原表位，可作为用ELISA法检测SARS—CoV的抗原。构建的DNA疫苗可在小鼠体内产生高效价的抗SARS病毒N蛋白的特异性抗体，从而为该疫苗的开发奠定了基础。     

Expression of SARS coronavirus nucleocapsid protein and construction of its DNA vaccine]

AIM: To express the nucleocapsid (N) protein of SARS coronavirus (SARS-CoV) in E. coli and construct its DNA vaccine. METHODS: The prokaryotic expression vector pQEN containing N gene was constructed and transformed into the E. coli. The recombinant N protein was then expressed and purified by Ni(2+)-NTA affinity resin. In addition, the N gene was cloned into the eukaryotic expression plasmid pSecTagB and the eukaryotic recombinant expression vector pSecN was obtained. The DNA vaccine pSecN was injected to immunize the BALB/c mice to produce the antiserum against N protein of SARS-CoV. Subsequently, the reactivity of the antiserum with recombinant N protein and SARS-CoV particles was assayed by ELISA. RESULTS: Recombinant N protein reacted strongly and specifically with the sera from immunized mice and SARS patients. Similarly, the sera of immunized mice could also react specifically with SARS-CoV particles. CONCLUSION: The recombinant N protein could be used as a good antigen to detect SARS. The DNA vaccine pSecN could also efficiently induce the production of IgG against N protein of SARS-CoV, which offered clues to the development of a potential DNA vaccine.     

SARS病毒S蛋白片段与细胞结合作用分析

目的研究SARS冠状病毒(SARSCoV)S蛋白片段与SARSCoV敏感细胞Vero的相互作用,明确S蛋白的受体结合位点。方法在E.coli中表达S蛋白第260～600位氨基酸(S260600)和397～796位氨基酸(S397796)片段,通过Westernblot对蛋白表达进行确认,用NiSepharose螯合层析对重组蛋白进行纯化。将纯化的S260600和S397796蛋白与Vero细胞4℃共同孵育1h后,先后与SARS患者血清及FITC标记的抗人IgG作用,通过流式细胞仪检测蛋白与细胞表面受体的结合情况。结果成功构建了原核表达质粒pET30a/S260600和pET30a/S397796,并表达、纯化出S260600和S397796重组蛋白。分别用SARS患者血清和抗6×His单克隆抗体进行Westernblot检测,证实重组蛋白得到正确表达。流式细胞仪分析显示S260600和S397796重组蛋白均可与Vero细胞发生结合,但S397796的结合力要弱于S260600。同时发现S260600重组蛋白与SARSCoV非敏感细胞NIH3T3细胞不能结合,进一步证明S260600重组蛋白与Vero细胞表面受体的结合是特异性的。结论重组蛋白S397796和S260600具有受体结合能力,尤其S260600包含了重要的受体结合位点,对进一步研究介导SARSCoV感染的细胞表面受体、开展疫苗和抗病毒药物的筛选均具有重要意义。     

猪瘟病毒E2糖蛋白抗原表位的预测、多肽合成及特性研究

目的：研究CSFV E2蛋白免疫原性肽的生物学特性。方法：应用计算机分析软件对猪瘟病毒＆糖蛋白的抗原表位进行了预测，结合＆基因的变异分析，人工合成了两条多肽(Pep1和Pep2)序列，与抗mE2蛋白的兔血清和抗mE2的8株单抗进行反应，并将两条多肽分别与载体蛋白(BSA)进行偶联和免疫家兔。结果：两条多肽均与兔的抗血清及单抗A11反应；多肽Pep2与单抗D5和D8反应。多肽Pep1与BSA载体蛋白偶联(Pep1-BSA)，免疫家兔后能够产生针对多肽Pep1的抗体。结论：两条多肽Bep1和Pep2中，只有多肽Pep1具有很好的反应原性和免疫原性。     

Identification of a critical neutralization determinant of severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS)-associated coronavirus: importance for designing SARS vaccines

The spike (S) protein of severe acute respiratory syndrome-associated coronavirus (SARS-CoV) is not only responsible for receptor binding, but also a major antigenic determinant capable of inducing protective immunity. In this study, we demonstrated that the receptor-binding domain (RBD) of S protein is an important immunogenic site in patients with SARS and rabbits immunized with inactivated SARS-CoV. Serum samples from convalescent SARS patients and immunized rabbits had potent neutralizing activities against infection by pseudovirus expressing SARS-CoV S protein. Depletion of RBD-specific antibodies from patient or rabbit immune sera by immunoadsorption significantly reduced serum-mediated neutralizing activity, while affinity-purified anti-RBD antibodies had relatively higher potency neutralizing infectivity of SARS pseudovirus, indicating that the RBD of S protein is a critical neutralization determinant of SARS-CoV during viral infection and immunization. Two monoclonal antibodies (1A5 and 2C5) targeting at the RBD of S protein were isolated from mice immunized with inactivated SARS-CoV. Both 1A5 and 2C5 possessed potent neutralizing activities, although they directed against distinct conformation-dependant epitopes as shown by ELISA and binding competition assay. We further demonstrated that 2C5, but not 1A5, was able to block binding of the RBD to angiotensin-converting enzyme 2 (ACE2), the functional receptor on targeted cells. These data provide important information for understanding the antigenicity and immunogenicity of SARS-CoV and for designing SARS vaccines.     

Residue analysis of a CTL epitope of SARS-CoV spike protein by IFN-gamma production and bioinformatics prediction

ABSTRACT: BACKGROUND: Severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS) is an emerging infectious disease caused by the novel coronavirus SARS-CoV. The T cell epitopes of the SARS CoV spike protein are well known, but no systematic evaluation of the functional and structural roles of each residue has been reported for these antigenic epitopes. Analysis of the functional importance of side-chains by mutational study may exaggerate the effect by imposing a structural disturbance or an unusual steric, electrostatic or hydrophobic interaction. RESULTS: We demonstrated that N50 could induce significant IFN-gamma response from SARS-CoV S DNA immunized mice splenocytes by the means of ELISA, ELISPOT and FACS. Moreover, S366-374 was predicted to be an optimal epitope by bioinformatics tools: ANN, SMM, ARB and BIMAS, and confirmed by IFN-gamma response induced by a series of S358-374-derived peptides. Furthermore, each of S366-374 was replaced by alanine (A), lysine (K) or aspartic acid (D), respectively. ANN was used to estimate the binding affinity of single S366-374 mutants to H-2 Kd. Y367 and L374 were predicated to possess the most important role in peptide binding. Additionally, these one residue mutated peptides were synthesized, and IFN-gamma production induced by G368, V369, A371, T372 and K373 mutated S366-374 were decreased obviously. CONCLUSIONS: We demonstrated that S366-374 is an optimal H-2 Kd CTL epitope in the SARS CoV S protein. Moreover, Y367, S370, and L374 are anchors in the epitope, while C366, G368, V369, A371, T372, and K373 may directly interact with TCR on the surface of CD8-T cells.     

Identification of murine CD8 T cell epitopes in codon-optimized SARS-associated coronavirus spike protein

The causative agent of severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS) has been identified as a new type of coronavirus, SARS-associated coronavirus (SARS-CoV). CD8 T cells play an important role in controlling diseases caused by other coronaviruses and in mediating vaccine-induced protective immunity in corresponding animal models. The spike protein, a main surface antigen of SARS-CoV, is one of the most important antigen candidates for vaccine design. Overlapping peptides were used to identify major histocompatibility complex class I-restricted epitopes in mice immunized with vectors encoding codon-optimized SARS-CoV spike protein. CD8 T-cell responses were mapped to two H-2(b)-restricted epitopes (S436-443 and S525-532) and one H-2(d)-restricted epitope (S366-374). The identification of these epitopes will facilitate the evaluation of vaccine strategies in murine models of SARS-CoV infection. Furthermore, codon and promoter optimizations can greatly enhance the overall immunogenicity of spike protein in the context of replication-defective human and simian adenoviral vaccine carriers. The optimized recombinant adenoviral vaccine vectors encoding spike can generate robust antigen-specific cellular immunity in mice and may potentially be useful for control of SARS-CoV infection.     

Production of a monoclonal antibody against SARS-CoV spike protein with single intrasplenic immunization of plasmid DNA

Severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS) is a highly infectious disease caused by a novel coronavirus (SARS-CoV). Specific monoclonal antibodies (mAbs) against the SARS-CoV are vital for early diagnosis and pathological studies of SARS. Direct intrasplenic inoculation of plasmid DNA encoding antigen is an effective and fast approach to generate specific mAb when the protein antigen is difficult to prepare or dangerous in use. In this study, we selected one fragment of SARS-CoV spike protein (S1-₃) as antigenic determinant by immunoinformatics. Single intrasplenic immunization of plasmid DNA encoding S1-₃ induced anti-spike protein antibodies. We established one hybridoma cell line secreting specific mAb and evaluated this mAb with murine leukemia virus pseudotyped with SARS-CoV spike protein (MLV/SARS-CoV). The mAb could recognize the spike protein on the MLV/SARS-CoV-infected Vero E6 cells albeit with no neutralizing effect on the infectivity of the pseudotype virus. Our results show that a single-shot intrasplenic DNA immunization is efficient for the production of specific mAb against SARS spike protein, and a linear epitope of the spike protein is recognized in this study.     

A novel cell-based binding assay system reconstituting interaction between SARS-CoV S protein and its cellular receptor

Severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS), a life-threatening disease, is caused by the newly identified virus SARS coronavirus (SARS-CoV). In order to study the spike (S) protein of this highly contagious virus, we established a clonal cell-line, CHO-SG, from the Chinese hamster ovary cells that stably expresses C-terminally EGFP-tagged SARS-CoV S protein (S-EGFP). The ectodomain of the S glycoprotein is localized on the surface of CHO-SG cells with N-acetyl-glucosamine-terminated carbohydrate structure. CHO-SG cells associated tightly with Vero E6 cells, a SARS-CoV receptor (ACE2) expressing cell-line, and the interaction remained stable under highly stringent condition (1M NaCl). This interaction could be blocked by either the serum from a SARS convalescent patient or a goat anti-ACE2 antibody, indicating that the interaction is specific. A binding epitope with lesser degree of glycosylation and native conformation was localized by using rabbit anti-sera raised against five denatured recombinant S protein fragments expressed in Escherichia coli. One of the sera obtained from the fragment encompassing amino acids 48-358 significantly blocked the interaction between CHO-SG and Vero E6 cells. The region is useful for studying neutralizing antibodies in future vaccine development. This paper describes an easy and safe cell-based assay suitable for studying the binding between SARS-CoV S protein and its receptor.